Giuliani: The Complete Studies for guitar. A note on cello-type technique

Mauro Giuliani: The Complete Studies for guitar (Tecla 105)

A new note on the left hand thumb used on the guitar in the same way as cello players do, in Giuliani’s op. 48

Tatakh Huismans writes from the Netherlands:

“This morning I decided to play a bit of study no. 24 in Giuliani’s opus 48. In the section where Giuliani indicates that the thumb is to be used I suggest that the left hand thumb is meant in the manner that cello players sometimes do. It is a bit more easy to do the stretch up to the note B that way.”

It’s interesting to see this violoncello technique being applied to the guitar, and occurs, I think, in certain 19th century methods. It is at bar 10 and the following bars in Giuliani’s op. 48 no. 24 where the original edition has col dito pollice, ‘with the thumb’, as shown below in TECLA 105 Giuliani Complete Studies. I’m sure Mr Huismans is right. Try it!